"Discerning the Times in the Light of the Word"

http://ericbarger.com/articles/Questions_to_ask_JW.html

Posted 8/28/1998 by Keith Piper

QUESTIONS TO ASK JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

Ask: May we make an appointment to ask some questions about the Bible?

1. Why does the Watchtower [WT] translate "ego eimi" as "I am", 133 out of 134 New Testament occurences, except where it proves Christ is God in John 8:58? Here they translate "ego eimi" as "I have been". Why?

2. Why does the WT translate the New Testament word for Lord (ie. "Kurios") as Jehovah, except where it proves Christ is God? For example, "Jesus Christ is Lord" in Philippians 2:11 and "Jesus is Lord" in I Corinthians 12:3.

3. Can you say that Jesus Christ is Lord? (see I Corinthians 12:3).

4. Why does the WT add "other" four times in Colossians 1:16, 17 and in Philippians 2:9 to deny Christ's deity, when "other" is not in any New Testament manuscripts? Is it right to add words to the Bible which change Bible doctrines?

5. Why does the WT change "worship" in Hebrews 1:8 in the 1961 NWT edition, to "do obeisance" in the 1971 NWT edition, to deny Christ the worship as God?

6. Why does the WT make up false lying quotes of the Church fathers on page 7 of "Should You Believe In The Trinity" and not source it, when all these men believed that Jesus is God from their other quotes? Have you read any writings of the early Church fathers? They all believed that Jesus Christ is God.

7. Do you give worshipful honour to the Son as God, just as you give honour to the Father as God? (JW: No). Then you are not honouring the Father (John 5:23).

8. Whose name were you baptised in? (see Matthew 28:19,20).

9.1 Do you agree that Deuteronomy 18:21,22 teaches that a true prophet of God gives prophecies coming true 100% of the time, and a false prophet gives prophecies that don't come true?

9.2 Has the WT ever claimed to be God's prophet?

9.3 Can we agree that the WT prophet (p.80) has given prophecies about events and dates in the futures?

9.4 Now that you have examined the WT prophecies, you can apply the Biblical test to see if the WT is a true or false prophet. What was supposed to happen according to the WT prophecies on 1874, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975?

9.5 Did any of these prophecies fail? (Yes. They were all false prophecies).

9.6 What verdict did Moses and Jesus tell us to pass on the WT? (The WT is a false prophet according to Deuteronomy 18:22, and therefore it does not speak in Jehovah's name and it is not Jehovah's organisation. Don't respect it. Will you stand with Jesus and Moses in rejecting the WT as a false prophet?

10. How many books that are FOR the Trinity have you read?

11. Why does the WT forbid you reading books on the other side? Don't you think that its only fair and reasonable to read books against the WT, to get a balanced view of all the facts? Have they got something to hide that they are afraid of?

12. Have all your sins been removed?

13. Why does WT regard 144,000 as a literal number, but regards 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel as figurative? (see Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5).

14. Why does WT call God "Jehovah" when YHWH is nowhere used in the New Testament? Why did Jesus and Paul never call God "Jehovah"? Why did the early church writers around 100 AD never call God "Jehovah"?

15. Why does the New Testament always lift up Jesus Christ's name, never Jehovah's name. (see I Corinthians 1:2,10; 5:4,5; 6:11; Colossians 3:17; II Thessalonians 1:12; 3:6; II Timothy 2:19; Revelation 2:13; Matthew 18:20; Acts 1:8; 3:16; 4:10,12,17,18; 5:28,41; 8:16; 9:15,16; 10:43;16:18; 11:26).

16. Why does the WT translate "proskuneo" as worship when it applies to God, angels, devils, antichrist and images, but when "proskuneo" is used to worship Christ as God, they translate it as "do obeisance"? Why doesn't the WT want to worship Christ?

17. Why does the WT break the Granville-Sharp rule of the Greek grammar for Titus 2:13 and II Peter 1:1,"...of God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ", which show Jesus Christ and God to be one and the same person? Yet they always get the rule right where the Deity of Christ is not an issue (such as in II Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:2; 3:18; I Peter 1:3 and Ephesians 1:3)?

18. In John 1:1, "The word (Christ) was God". Why does WT translate John 1:1 as "a god", when in John 1:6, 12, 13 18 where "theos" also has no definite Greek article, they translate it as "God" every time? Don't they want Christ to be God? Are they anti-Christ?

19. Why does the WT insist that Christ is first created, when the meaning of "firstborn" (Gk: "prototokos) means "pre-eminent or ruler"? David (Psalm 89:27), Ephraim (Genesis 41:50-52 and Jeremiah 31:9), Jacob (Exodus 4:22), and Solomon (I Chronicles 3:2) were all called "firstborn", but none of them were born first. Why? Because "firstborn" can mean "chief", as with Christ, and not first created.

20. In Isaiah 9:6, Jesus Christ is called the "everlasting Father" meaning "Father of Eternity". Only God can be the possessor, or Father of Eternity. Doesn't this make Christ to be God?

21. Since Jehovah is called "Mighty God" (Isaiah 10:21) just as Jesus is called "Mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6), doesn't this mean that Jesus is Jehovah? and not a lesser deity?

22. Do you believe that Jesus is "I am" Jehovah God? (JW: No). Then you will die in your sins. "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." John 5:24.

23. If we pray to Christ, then doesn't that make Christ to be God? "All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." (see I Corinthians 1:2). Would you pray to an angel? (JW: No) Hence, Jesus is not Michael.

24. Is it Divine worship of the Father when Peter concludes His prayer in I Peter 5:10,11 with "To him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen." Yes, this is adoration and worship to the infinite God. This same doxology is given to the "Son" in II Timothy 4:18; I Peter 4:11; II Peter 3:18 and Revelation 1:5,6. A.T.

Robertson states that these references refer to Christ in "Word Pictures in the New Testament" (Vol.1, p.126). Let us be consistent. Therefore, Christ is God.

25. If God and the Lamb have one Throne, one Face and one Name in Revelation22:1,3,4, doesn't that make God and Christ equal?

26. Since the Bible gives 56 attributes to the Son, that are also given exclusively to the Father, isn't this enough to prove that Christ is God? One who has all these attributes must be God. (For example, eternal: Micah 5:2 and Habakkuk; coming quickly: Isaiah 40:10).

27. Did not Jesus declare that His body had been literally raised from the dead in Luke 24:37, 39? "They supposed that they had seen a spirit. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have".

28. Have you been born again? (JW: No. That's only for the 144,000). Q1: When Jesus said "Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3 NWT), he did not allow for any exeptions. Q2: In I John 5:1 NWT: "Everyone believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born from God", does the expression "everyone believing" leave any believers out? (No). Q3: In Galatians 4:5-6, the NWT states that Christ came "that we....might receive the adoption as sons. Now because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, and it cries out "Abba, Father". Ask: Have you been adopted as a son of God, by receiving the Spirit of Christ into your heart, as shown here? (No). Q4: In Romans 8:9, the NWT states that "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his". Remind the JW that he has admitted that he has not received Christ's Spirit to dwell in his heart by being born again. Q5: In the light of Romans 8:8.9, can you reach any other conclusion that you cannot please God (v.8), and that you do not belong to Christ (v.9)?

29. How do you reconcile the JW quote in "Make sure of all things", p.332 stating: "Salvation to life involves time and is not completed when one becomes a Christian", when in I John 5:12-13, it says, "he that has the Son, hath life". In John 3:36; I John 3:2; I Corinthians 1:18; II Corinthians 2:15; Ephesians 2:5,8;  I Thessalonians 1:10; II Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5; I John 2:12 and Romans 8:16,
eleven times it states that eternal life is the believer's present possession, and that we are saved now, not will be later.

30. Who is your mediator for you to get to God? (I Timothy 2:5,6). You don't have one, because you think Jesus is Michael the Archangel. An angel can't mediate between God and man. Hence, you are still in your sins.

31. Has WT ever lied, covered up or changed doctrines or dates? For example, organ transplants used to be forbidden by the WT.

32. What did the WT predict would happen in 1874, 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975? Why did these prophecies not happen? (Because the WT is a false prophet).

33. Where is the great crowd located in Revelation 19:1? Heaven. Therefore all believers go to heaven.  (JW's say only 144,000 believers go to heaven, the rest stay on earth).

34. Why does WT ignore the following verses in saying that we don't go to heaven? Colossians 1:5; Hebrews 10:34; I Peter 1:4; Revelation 19:1; Matthew 6:20; John 12:26; John 14:3; Hebrews 3:1; II Corinthians 5:1.

Conclusion: Don't let the Watchtower organisation think for you. Study the Bible for yourself, not Watchtower literature. Then you will find that Jesus Christ is God. Receive Christ as your Lord and Saviour today and get out of the Watchtower trap.

Copyright 1998, Keith Piper